Safety hand hold for tandem riders

ABSTRACT

AN ADJUSTABLE LENGTH STRAP HAVING HAND HOLDS AT THE ENDS THEREOF TO ENCIRCLE THE WAIST OF THE DRIVER OF A MOTORCYCLE OR THE LIKE AND WITH THE HAND HOLDS GRIPPED BY THE REAR TANDEM RIDER. THE STRAP MAY BY BUILT INTO A SAFETY JACKET TO BE WORN BY THE LEADING RIDER AND THE JACKET MAY HAVE SAFETY GRIPPING SLOTS AS AN ALTERNATE MEANS TO BE USED BY THE REAR RIDER.

Feb. 16, 1971 w. R. GREGGAINS SAFETY HAND HOLD FOR TANDEM RIDERS I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 -Filed Mayv 21, 1969 BY 37 g/zww -cf Arran/U5.

Feb. 16, 1971 W. R. GREGGAINS SAFETY HAND HOLD FOR TANDEM RIDERS l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21, 1969 INVENTOR. W/z//w A. Pfam/w BY United States Patent 3,562,812 Patented Feb. 16, 1971 3,562,812 SAFETY HAND HOLD FOR TANDEM RIDERS William R. Greggains, 712 N. James St., Rome, N.Y. 13440 Filed May 21, 1969, Ser. No. 826,508 Int. Cl. A41d 1/00 U.S. Cl. 2-94 1 Claim ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An adjustable length strap having hand holds at the ends thereof to encircle the waist of the driver of a motorcycle or the like and with the hand holds gripped by the rear tandem rider. The strap may be built into a safety jacket to be worn by the leading rider and the jacket may have safety gripping slots as an alternate means to be used by the rear rider.

With the ever-increasing use of motorcycles having tandem seats, snowmobiles and certain sleds, there is a need for a simplified, versatile stabilizing or balancing means for-the rear rider; in short, some ready means for him to grip with his hands approximately waist-high or elbow-high. A second set of handle bars is not always feasible or safe or even practical without altering the conventional structure of the vehicle and increasing its cost.

Accordingly, the objective of the invention is to provide a safety holding and stabilizing means for the rear tandem rider of a motorcycle or the like which is readily adjustable and flexible and which may be incorporated, if desired, in a garment or jacket worn by the leading rider. If preferred, the safety device may be separate from any garment and may simply encircle the front of the waist of the leading rider with the hand grip elements positioned near the sides of the leading rider in convenient positions to be grasped by the rear tandem rider. Additionally, if a garment is employed, safety gripping slots may be formed adjacent the pockets and suitably reinforced to provide a second or alternative stabilizing arrangement for the rear rider. Various hand holds may be employed. In this manner, the provision of the safety device does not alter or effect the structure of the vehicle in any way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation showing tandem riders on a motorcycle or like vehicle with the rear rider utilizing the stabilizing device embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the device associated with a jacket.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a hand grip element.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a modied hand grip element.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section taken on line 8 8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of a further modified hand grip element.

FIG. 10 is a plan view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the same, the safety balancing or stabilizing device of the invention essentially comprises an adjustable length, sturdy strap 20, formed of leather, nylon or some similar strong material which is also flexible. The strap is provided with a conventional length adjusting means 21, such as a buckle. The opposite ends of the safety strap are provided with eyes or rings 22 to receive detachably conventional snap-on fasteners or clips 23 of a pair of side hand grip units 24.

One preferred form of hand grip unit is shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6 embodying a short length of strap 25 securely connected to the fastener 23 at one end and similarly secured at its opposite end to a sturdy ring element 26 of suflicient size to be gripped firmly by the hands of the rear tandem rider as depicted in FIG. l. FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a motorcycle or like vehicle, or a snowmobile, having a seat 27 for tandem riders 28 and 29. The rear rider 29 is grasping the hand grip elements of the invention and the adjustable strap 20 is extended about the front of the leading rider 28 approximately waist high. In this connection, the adjustable safety strap 20 is of suicient length to extend across approximately two-thirds of the width of the waist of the front rider and the additional length provided by the short straps 24 places the hand grip elements 26 at the sides of the waist, as shown in FIG. l. Consequently, the rear rider 29 in order to be secured does not have to extend his or her arms around the waist of the front rider, nor do the hand grip rings or elements extend so far rearwardly as to render the safety strap useless or unstable. The essence of the matter is to have the device of suicient length only to extend around approximately one-half of the waist circumference of the forward rider, so that the forward riders body becomes an actual part of the stabilizing and balancing structure for the rear rider.

As shown in FIGS. 7 through 10, additional forms of yhand holds or hand grips may be employed in lieu of the rings 26. In FIGS. 7 and 8, relatively large, preferably compressible, ball hand grips 30 are shown securely attached to a short strap 31 carrying the same snap fastener 23, previously described. FIGS. 9 and 10 shows another form of hand grip comprising simply a strap loop 32 securely attached to the snap-on clip or fastener 23, as shown. Various types of hand grips may be employed, as desired.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the safety strap unit is carried by a jacket 33 worn by the front rider for added stability. As illustrated, the front wall of the jacket is provided with pairs of slits 34 on opposite sides of the jacket front closure 35 and these slits form horizontal passages 36 for the reception of the strap 20, as clearly shown in FIG. 4. The jacket front Wall 37 may be reinforced with a lining strip 38 adjacent each passage 36, as indicated. This arrangement lends support to the safety strap assembly and assures that it will always 'be at the proper location and elevation for most eicient use.

As an additional safety feature and to provide an alternative hand grip means for the rear rider, the front wall 37 ofthe jacket 33 is provided with slots 39, FIG. 3, near the entrance 40 to the slant pockets 41 thereof. The front wall is reinforced by a tape or strip 42 of strong material at these regions. This enables the rear rider 29 to insert his fingers through the slots 39 and use them as grips or hand holds in lieu of the safety strap unit should this become necessary in an emergency. If preferred, the safety strap unit may be employed without being connected to any particular jacket or garment.

It is believed that the features and advantages of the invention will now be clearly understood without further description.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety balancing and stabilizing riding jacket, comprising a jacket worn by a rider having holding means thereon allowing a second rider behind said jacket to balance himself and be manually gripping said holding means either at the front or rear of said jacket in accordance with the desired spacing between the riders, said jacket having a pair of pockets on its front side and hand grip slots formed in the jacket rear wall within said pockets, said holding means including said slots and a removable and slidably adjustable hand grip element irnmediately below each of said pockets and extending froni said jacket to be gripped at the rear thereof, and element receiving slots in said jacket slidably securing each said element to said jacket, cooperating adjustable fastening means detachably securing said elements to each other, said elements exerting opposing forces and simultaneous adjustment when being ripped.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1931 Lubin 293 2/ 1963 Colangelo 2-93 FOREIGN PATENTS 11/1931 Denmark 52-37 4/1951 Denmark 182-4 8/1957 France 2-300 6/ 1963 France 2-94 7/ 1926 Great Britain 182-4 2/1933 Great Britain 2-300 5 1938 Great Britain 182-3 12/1961 Great Britain 2-300 U.S. Cl. X.R. 

